At 9:57 am today (March 25), a fire broke out in a three-story village house on Fan Kam Road in Ha Che, Pat Heung. The fire department responded quickly to the emergency call and was able to control the blaze, fortunately resulting in no injuries.
According to reports from the scene, the fire originated in a utility room on the ground floor of the house, where the owner's private car was also parked. Preliminary investigations suggest that the fire may have been caused by a charging power bank in the utility room. The flames spread rapidly, destroying items in the room and causing explosions at one point. Firefighters arrived and managed to extinguish the fire within approximately 10 minutes.
In recent years, incidents of power banks catching fire or exploding have become increasingly common. On March 20, a Hong Kong Airlines flight from Hangzhou to Hong Kong experienced a fire in the cabin when a power bank suddenly ignited in the overhead luggage compartment, raising public concerns about safety once again. Experts indicate that power banks can ignite due to external impacts, such as being dropped, which may damage internal components. Changes in air pressure and temperature can also trigger spontaneous combustion.
Moreover, power bank explosions are primarily caused by internal battery failures:
- Substandard battery quality, with some inferior products using recycled cells or lacking overcharge protection, leads to voltage instability.
- External shocks or prolonged overcharging/discharging cause damage to the battery separator, resulting in internal short circuits.
- Use or storage in high-temperature environments accelerates the decomposition of the electrolyte and generates flammable gases.
Consumers are advised to purchase certified products that meet safety standards, avoid prolonged charging, protect devices from drops, and refrain from exposing them to high temperatures. If abnormal heating or swelling is detected, the device should be discontinued immediately.
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